Growing up, every time I asked for a pet I was always told that having one was a serious responsibility. I have had many dogs and I see how they are so popular. For the most part, they enjoy attention. They generally enjoy company and they pick up leftover food scraps off the ground.

With the exception of gerbils, I have never paid or seen a member of my family pay for a dog, or cat, or any other pet. Not because we were broke, but because giving a homeless animal a home is a kind thing to do. With that said, my family and I never really cared about what the dog looked like. They were always mutts. The same went for cats. Although domestic cats in America tend to look the same in my experience.

For me, looks are never important and this infographic is an eyeopener. I knew tons of kids with rabbits or some kind of small animal. I found it weird that far more people were willing to own a bird, rather than a rodent. Why would someone pay to have more noise in the house? I couldn’t stand constant chirping or a bird that copied what it heard. [Via]